Clothes drying device



April 22, 1958 H. c. cox

CLOTHES DRYING DEVICE Filed March l, 1954 1N V EN TOR.

Hem/@y C Cox,

CLGTHES DRYlNG DEVICE Henry C. Cox, Garden Grove, Calif.

Application March 1, 1954, Serial No.. 413,309

1 Claim. (Cl. 34-81) This invention relates to domestic clothes driers, and more particularly to a drier adapted for handling a few light pieces such as stockings, handkerchiefs, lingerie and like feminine apparel.

Modernly designed homes and domestic equipment normally provide for the drying of the family laundry either by outdoor equipment that utilizes sun and air, or indoor equipment in which artificial heat and forced ventilation are the drying agents. In neither instance is such equipment appropriate for the drying of but a few light pieces of feminine attire which is frequently washed before retiring with a view toward repeated wear on the following day. lt is common for the laundering of such light items tobe done in the bathroom, and it is hence desirable that a convenient, eiective and eiiicient drier be provided in the bathroom for this purpose.

Space in the usual bathroom is, of course, at a premium. Even luxurious designing rarely provides oor space for supplemental equipment, nor would it be desirable to employ, even were space available, additional fixtures involving electrical resistance elements and forced draft motor-blower assemblies. The problem of overnight drying of such daily laundered items nevertheless remains, and resort is usually had to the mere draping of such on shower curtain rods, towel rack and like fixtures. Such practice is, of course, neither convenient, efficient, nor orderly.

The present invention has as its primary object, the lling of the need for a convenient, practical and efdcient drier for stockings, handkerchiefs, lingerie and the like, by a simple, space-saving, readily heated, air-circulating cabinet mounted within the connes of one of the bathroom walls.

A major object of the invention is to supply a laundry drying device embodying novel and improved structural features that particularly lend themselves to the incorporation of the unit within a wall structure.

Another object is to provide in an in-a-wall cabinet of the character set forth, a simple and eflicient heating means by which an adequate and moderate supply of heat may be inexpensively supplied for the evaporation of moisture from laundry without danger of over-heating or undue elevation of room temperature.

Another object is to provide an air circulation heating arrangement which is substantially automatic in its function and does not require the use of fans and motors for the efficient operation thereof.

A further important object is to provide a device of the character set forth which will provide not only maximum convenience but equal safety so that no danger will arise, either to the device itself or to the persons or things in its vicinity from continuous use thereof or the inadvertent failure to extinguish the heating means. The device also precludes danger of injury to the person by operation of, or contact with the device, so that infants and children may be safely entrusted in its neighborhood.

Numerous other objects, features and advantages of nited States Patent() 2,831,268 Patented Apr. 22, 1958 ice the present invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one preferred embodiment ofthe. invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical, transverse sectional View of the device of Figure. 1 showing its mounting with a bathroom wall; and,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detailed front View, illustratingtheheating element and protecting shelf therefor.

In general terms, that particular form of the invention here shown by way of illustrating the inventive concept may be defined' as comprising an elongate, vertically disposed cabinet, preferably of such width as to readily t between the normal joist spacings of a wall, and preferably of such depth as not to exceed the normal wall thickness. Within thecabinet at the lowermost portion thereof, an incandescent electric bulb is provided to supply a moderate continuous heat at reasonable cost. Above the bulb a shelf is provided for the support of absorbent material which will receive moisture dripping from washed articles, and thus guard the bulb against the danger of fracture due to water coming in contact with the hot surface thereof. Above the shelf suitable supports are provided for the-washed articles, and a closure for the cabinet is provided, having upper and lower Ventilating grills or louvers, the lower providing for admission of air to the bulb, and the upper louver or grill permitting the outward ow by convection of hot, moist air from the vicinity of the garments.

While the invention here shown is one practical embodiment thereof, it' will of course be understood that the present disclosure is to be considered as inclusive', of many various embodiments Well Within the scope of the invention. Thus, while the invention is designated as appropriate for the overnight drying of stockings, it is amenable to numerous other uses, both as to articles and as to'location. While the bathroom may be an appropriate location for the device when used in the manner here described, other'locations where the device may be similarly or dissimilarly used may be desirable. The invention is accordingly not limited to the structural details or precise arrangement of parts herein presented as one preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, the cabinet is generally designated by the numeral 16 and is shown as generally rectangular in configuration', being substantially double or more in height than in width, and relatively quite shallow. The material of the cabinet is not necessarily important since the structure of the building may dictate the appropriate construction in that respect. As here shown, the cabinet body is of metal which may be conveniently formed and welded or soldered. Wood construction may be employed if desired, or the device may be fabricated of heat insulating or resistant material to preclude any possibility of iire hazard.

More specifically, the cabinet is here shown as having side, top and bottom walls 11, 12 and 13 respectively, of a width commensurate with upper and lower braces 15 and 16 joining parallel vertical joists, one of which is indicted at 17. As previously suggested, a convenient width across the cabinet would be that equal to the spacing between joists. Thus, as to dimension, the cabinet may readily be designed to snugly t between such joists and be secured to and supported thereby, and/or it may rest upon a joist 16 to which it can be secured. It may also be secured to depend from an upper brace 15.

Obviously, other types of securerncnt may be provided,

independent of either joists or braces, as by engagement by the flat rear wall panel 18.

The forward edge of the sides, top and bottom are here f y y 1 2,831,268

shown as provided with a peripherally encircling ange 19, the rear face of which abuts the front face of the wall surface to properly locate the cabinet with respect thereto, and to protect and conceal the edges of the wall aperture which-receives the cabinet. To one edge of the flange 19, door hinges 21 are mounted pivotally supporting the cabinet door 22. The door 22 is'shown as conforming in size to the open face of the cabinet body, and as having a rabbeted edge 23 to removably engage flange 19. A horizontally disposed imperforate shelf 28 is situated inside the cabinet, circulation being permitted by passage of air upwardly in front of the shelf and between its forward edge and the door, as at 31. The shelf 23 divides the cabinet into a lower and smaller heating chamber 32, and an upper dryingchamber 33. A lower aperture 26 in the door 22 communicates with the heating chamber 32, while an upper aperture also formed in the door communicates with the upper portion of the drying chamber 33 as indicated on the drawing.

Within the lower chamber 32 there is provided a heating device preferably in the form of an incandescent electric light bulb 34 mounted in a conventional socket 35. While the socket may be a switch socket, the bulb is preferably controlled through conductors 36 that lead therefrom to a conveniently located wall switch 37 as shown in Figure l, so that energization of the bulb may be controlled without access to the cabinet.

In the upper drying compartment 33, racks, bars, hooks, or other garment-supporting means suitable for the support of womens light wearing apparel are provided. In the present instance three horizontal, vertically spaced rods 38 provide ample means for draping such articles. Since the articles may be dripping when hung in the drying compartment, and/or may continue to drip for some time, an absorbent pad or block 39 such as sponge rubber is placed on the shelf 28 to receive and retain such moisture, precluding it from striking and damaging the bulb 34.

From the foregoing it is believed that the use and operation of the device, as well as its construction, will be clearly apparent. It will be understood that by virtue of its rabbeted edge, the door will seal the cabinet when closed, except for the air ingress and egress apertures 26 and 25 respectively. When the bulb 34 is electrically energized, the air entering the heating chamber 32 through the aperture 26 is heated and passes upwardly by convection past or through the shelf 28. Damp stockings, lingerie, handkerchiefs, or like articles hung upon rods 38 will thus be surrounded by the gentle passage of the rising warm air, which air absorbs the moisture and continually passes outwardly through the aperture 25. As hereinbefore indicated, the continuous mild heat afforded by the bulb is such as to permit long periods of use within danger to the articles and without either overheating the room or over-taxing the power supply. Thus, with the device conveniently located in the bathroom, articles may be washed upon retiring and left overnight 4 in the dryer to be fresh and dry for wear on the next morning.

The block 39 absorbs moisture or water that drops thereon, but due to the proximity of the block to the bulb 34, this absorbed moisture is rapidly dispelled from the block as vapor and passes outwardly through the aperture 25. Thus, due to the heat from bulb 34, the block 38 is maintained in a substantially dry water and moisture absorbing condition at all times.

The invention as hereinbefore indicated, is not limited to the details or" design construction or operation herein illustrated, and it will thus be understood that numerous changes, modifications and the full use of equivalents may be resorted to in the practice of the invention, without departure from the spirit or scope thereof as outlined in the appended claim.

l claim:

An in-a-wall stocking drier, comprising: an open front cabinet body of substantially greater height than width and of a depth as to be insertable within the contines of said Wall; peripheral anges on said body adapted to overlie the interior wall surface adjacent said cabinet; a perforate shelf in said cabinet adjacent the bottom thereof, said shelf and cabinet cooperatively dening a small lower heating chamber and a larger upper drying chamber, with the free edge of said shelf being spaced inwardly from the front edges of said cabinet; a light socket in said heating chamber; an incandescent bulb in said socket; externally disposed electric switching means to control ow of electricity to said socket; a plurality of transversely disposed stocking support rods mounted in said drying chamber; a door hingedly mounted on one of said lianges adapted to close said open front of said cabinet, said door being formed with an air inlet in the bottom portion thereof and an air outlet in the upper portion thereof to permit an upward circulation of air through said cabinet that has been heated by said bulb to dry said stockings on said supports; and an elongate pad of water-absorbent material disposed on said shelf, which pad serves the dual function of absorbing water that drips from said stockings to prevent same from contacting said bulb when heated and breaking same and as storage means for said dripped water adjacent said bulb to permit said water to be heated to the vapor form and thereafter escape from said cabinet with said circulating air.

vReferences Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Brown Nov. 3, 193i 

